A Change of Sorts
Wheeee, next chappie up! Sorry it took so long to update! Things should be a bit easier to write now that I've got the secret thing out. But I'm starting to regret because I just thought of a better way I could have introduced the secrets…shame…oh well, I might be able to slip it in somehow!
Chapter 14: His Choice
Hatori stepped into the dark room, closing the door behind him. He bowed and knelt down respectfully before the lone figure at the window.
"Akito-sama."
"What has happened this time?" Akito asked, without looking away from the window.
Hatori bowed his head. "I'm afraid another outsider has discovered our secret."
Akito finally turned to look at him coldly. "How did this happen? And who is it?"
"It happened by accident as usual, Akito-sama. And Daisuke Niwa is the one who has found out."
"Niwa…" Akito repeated, thinking it over. A small smirk played on his lips.
Hatori felt suddenly nervous, as if he could sense Akito planning some sort of not-very-pleasant plan. He felt quite eager to get out of that room now. Finally, Akito made a decision.
"You know what you have to do Hatori."
Hatori had no choice other to obey. He kept his good eye fixed on the floor as he mentally whispered his apologies to Daisuke, Yuki and the others.
"Yes…Akito-sama."
---
"What do you mean Dai-chan?.!" Daisuke winced at the loud voice.
"Okaa-san, can you please not yell so loud? And I'm serious, they found out!"
"I don't mean that, I mean their own curse! In none of our books has there been anything about another cursed family other than the Hikari and the Niwa!"
"I don't know why they're cursed…I don't think they even know why they're cursed! I mean, we don't know why Dark is in our DNA either."
On the other end, Kosuke took the phone for a bit. "This is quite strange Daisuke. I've never heard of another cursed family."
Daisuke sighed. "I don't know either otou-san. But do you want me to do anything about it?"
Kosuke thought for a bit before slowly replying. "No…no don't worry. Just keep an eye on them. We don't know everything about them yet."
Great…now he had to act like a spy on the Sohma's…"Ok otou-san. Goodbye."
"Goodbye Daisuke."
Click.
Daisuke sighed again. "Jeez, everything's so confusing…why couldn't we have just stayed in Azumano and fly over here for the thefts anyway?"
--Zzzzzzzzzzzz…--
There was a new reason why Daisuke envied Dark now. Whenever things got boring or troublesome, Dark would just sleep rather than sit through them, something Daisuke could not do. If only their roles were slightly switched…
--Oi, I heard that!--
"Gah! Dark! Don't do that!"
--…--
"…Dark?"
--Trust me Daisuke, you do not want too be me.--
Daisuke frowned, taken aback. "H-hey, I was only kidding…"
--It ain't all fun looking 17 your whole life y'know.--
"I get the point Dark…" Daisuke mumbled, flopping down on the couch. He groaned. "My head hurts…"
--From a headache or from the stupidity of your brain?-- Dark teased, poking him mentally. Daisuke scowled.
"Nope, it hurts from having to hold someone as egotistical as you."
--That's mean…--
"Good."
Daisuke was not in a good mood, which was quite rare. And Dark took that as his cue to quickly shut himself off before he really pissed the redhead off. Although it was quite fun to see how annoyed the teen could really get, he didn't want to risk his hearing.
Yinju had gone out earlier, disappearing to who knows where. She seemed to be doing that a lot, although it was probably likely that she was at Uo's, engaged in another challenging game of cards.
Daisuke groaned, covering his eyes with his hand. "Ugh, I just want to sleep…"
Just as he was beginning to show the slightest signs of drifting off, he was interrupted by a conveniently timed knock on the door.
"Kyu!" With cried, poking Daisuke.
Daisuke had to hold back an unappealing grumble as he got up to get the door.
"Coming…" he called half heartedly, one hand on the door. He pulled it open, blinking when he saw who it was.
"Sohma-kun…?" He looked up at the much taller man, eyes questioning his purpose here.
Hatori sighed, wishing he didn't have to be the one burdened with this fate. "Niwa-kun, I'm afraid there's something we have to talk about."
---
"Eh? Momiji-kun!" Tohru cried out happily, letting the younger boy in. He smiled at her, but not with his usual hyperness.
"Hello Tohru-kun, Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun, Shii-chan!"
"Momiji-kun, what are you doing here?" Shigure asked, poking his head out from his study. Momiji hesitated for a moment, before sitting down to explain his why he came here.
Tohru quietly made tea and snacks in the kitchen, while listening carefully to what Momiji was about to say. The bunny began.
"Well, I was with Ha'ri today, and he said that he was coming down here." He began, but then Shigure interrupted him.
"Haa-san's here? Why isn't he coming in?" he asked, a smile on his face which slowly faded away as Momiji shook his head.
"No, he's not coming here. He told me to come and stay at Shii-chan's house while he had to do something."
"Do what?" Tohru asked curiously, passing around the tea. Momiji trembled, tears slowly beginning to fill up his large brown eyes. "Eh?.! Momiji-kun, what's wrong?" Tohru asked frantically, leaning down to comfort the small boy. "I-I-I-Is it something I said?.! I'm sorry; you don't have to tell me if you don't want to! I-I-I mean, I was just curious, but you don't have to and I-!"
"Honda-san." Yuki interrupted gently. "I think Momiji is going to tell us."
"Eh?.!" Tohru looked at him, eyes wide, before frantically apologizing for causing such a commotion. "Oh! I'm so sorry for interrupting you and everything-!"
FOOF.
Kyo knocked Tohru on the head gently, hard enough to shut her up but not hard enough to harm her. He sighed irritably.
"Just let the damn bunny get on with it."
"O-ok…"
"Momiji-kun, what is it?" Shigure prodded gently, and Momiji sniffed twice before finally wiping away his tears.
"I saw Ha'ri go off to Daisuke-kun's house, and I-I-I-I think…I think Akito told Ha'ri to…to…to…" Momiji couldn't bring himself to say it, but it was enough. Everyone's eyes widened and Yuki stood up furiously, storming out the door.
"Yuki-kun!"
Yuki ignored him. He couldn't believe that another person's memory had to erased! Another person! He had expected it, but enough was enough! Too many people had suffered because of their curse, and he wouldn't stand by it any longer.
---
"There are…consequences for those who find out the Sohma's secret. Those who discover this secret are ordered to have their memory erased." Hatori looked at Daisuke sharply. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Daisuke gaped, his eyes wide. "I-I-I have to get my memory erased?.!"
--No…way…--
Hatori inclined his head, hiding the expression on his face. "…yes. All your memories of the Sohma secret."
"B-b-but what about Honda-san?.!"
"Tohru was an exception, but Akito-san has ordered that your memory be removed."
-Akito…-
--It all leads back to him.--
Daisuke hung his head, slowly registering the idea. He didn't like the thought of it, but who was he to go against the rules of the Sohma's?
--I guess this isn't the time to tell him that your family knows too.--
"Niwa-kun…" Hatori felt bad. The boy looked completely grief-stricken, and it only made him feel guiltier. But he couldn't let it affect him. Not when it was his duty to abide by Akito's rules.
"I'll give you a couple of days before I erase your memory, do you understand?"
Daisuke looked up, surprising Hatori. His eyes were no longer wide and fearful, but more set and determined. "No. We can do it now."
"Are you sure?"
He nodded firmly. "It's no use waiting when it's going to happen anyway, right?" Daisuke laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "But…"
--Daisuke, do you know what you're doing?.!--
"Please tell Akito-san that I'm sorry to have bothered your family. I promise I won't do it again after you erase my memory."
There was no change of expression on Hatori's face. Instead, he only nodded.
"If that's what you wish."
Hatori placed his forefinger and thumb on Daisuke's forehead and, after hesitating for a moment, pushed gently against it.
A white light flooded from the redhead's forehead, blinding Daisuke.
It's so…white. I can't see anything. I guess that this is it…I wonder how okaa-san and otou-san will react…Daisuke thought hazily as he seemed to float in a world of endless white. It was different from the Second Hand of Time though. It wasn't menacing, or trying to lure him to do anything. It just seemed to tell him to…sleep.
--Daisuke!-- Dark yelled, straining to hear an answer.
Dark…? Daisuke looked around, but was still greeted by the bright white. He couldn't see anything or anyone anywhere. Suddenly, a sharp pain hit him in the head. Daisuke clutched his head, clenching his eyes shut.
He struggled for a few seconds, before giving out a painful scream as something seemed to rip away from him, painfully.
--DAISUKE!-- Dark heard the boy's pain. He heard it, but he could not do anything about it. Soon, he felt it.
The boy had fainted.
Hatori looked at the unconscious boy sorrowfully, before gathering himself and standing up. It was time for him to leave now.
There was a gap. Without hesitation, he pushed through.
Hatori was surprised as he saw the boy on the floor slowly stir, shaking his head and sitting up. "Nngh…" he groaned, rubbing his head. Strange, no one ever woke up this quickly before.
Hatori crouched on the floor next to the redhead, keeping in mind that he probably had forgotten all about the Sohma's.
"Are you alright? You suddenly collapsed. Are you sick?" He asked, lying through his teeth. He knew perfectly well what was wrong. Daisuke looked at him with his large red eyes.
"Sohma-kun…? What are you doing here?"
Hatori didn't even flinch. "Don't worry about that. But are you alright?"
Daisuke just blinked at him, before narrowing his eyes. "Don't give me that crap Hatori. What the hell did you do to Daisuke?.!"
"What?" Hatori took a moment to realise that it wasn't actually Daisuke that he was talking to, but actually Dark.
"Damnit, why did you have to go and actually do what he told you to?.!" He lashed out, eyes blazing furiously. There was no change of expression on Hatori's face.
"I did what I had to. It was his choice in the end." He replied unemotionally, looking at Dark straight in the eye. Dark scowled, changing to his own body.
"You damn bastard. Didn't you know that Daisuke is that kind of person?.! Even if you told him he was going to die from cancer without needed treatment, he would tell you not to waste the freakin' stupid thing you call money on him! If you asked him to give an organ transplant to someone in desperate need, he would just agree and give them his best wishes. How dense can you get?.! Daisuke is just too damn good to bring other people down."
Hatori watched this outburst with out even seeming to care. "It's none of your business to be associated with the Sohma's. I suggest you leave before someone else gets hurt."
Despite himself, Dark smirked. "You're just like Hiwatari, aren't you?"
"What?"
"Both of you cold, closed up bastards. Pretending you don't care about anything at all." Dark looked at him steadily, still smirking.
"Who gives a damn if it's not my business? It was never mine or Krad's business to get mixed up with the feud between the Hikari and the Niwa, and here we are now. It was never our business to be brought forth from the Black Wings to play these games, and look at us now. It was never my business to become the infamous Phantom Thief, so if your business isn't my business, I might as well make it mine!"
"I'm warning you, leave before you get hurt."
"Don't think that just cause Daisuke's clueless, that I'm going to let this rest. We can do more than you think, and you never know where your next allies will come from. I will make him remember." Dark grinned, letting his body slowly shimmer and fade away.
"Count on it."
Hatori was left alone in the house, looking at the spot where Dark had previously been in. He remained silent, thinking about what Dark had said.
…
"No one has ever tried to go against the effects of having their memories removed…but then again, not everyone has another person sharing their body."
The front door was thrust open, revealing a furious boy standing at the door.
"Hatori!" Yuki yelled, glaring at the silent man. Tohru, Kyo and Shigure were behind him, with Momiji standing, head bowed, next to Yuki.
"You did it didn't you?.! You removed his memory!"
"Yuki-kun, it wasn't Haa-san's fault." Shigure said quietly. "He didn't make that choice."
"No, I didn't. He did." Hatori spoke up, causing all eyes to turn on him.
Yuki hissed. "Akito…"
"No." They looked surprised. "Akito-san gave the order. He made the decision to have it done today."
Tohru covered her face with her hands, quietly sobbing. "Niwa-kun…"
Silent tears ran down Momiji's face as he tried to stop them coming. He whimpered quietly, and without warning drew Tohru into a hug.
A poof of colourful smoke appeared, fading away to reveal the brunette with a small bunny crying quietly against her. Hatori looked at them somewhat sadly, before walking past them and out the door.
"Momiji, we have to leave."
"I-I-I wanna stay with Tohru-kun…" Momiji sniffed, not looking at Hatori. Hatori didn't reply, just nodded his head and turned to leave.
He was down to the part where the small walking trail joined back to the road where his car was parked when Yuki caught up with him.
"Hatori! What do you mean that he made the choice?.!" He shouted. Hatori stopped, but didn't turn around.
"Exactly what I said. He made the choice." He opened the car door and got in. Just before he closed the door, he said one last thing to Yuki.
"But, by the looks of it, this matter isn't going to rest for a long time."
Then he drove off.
Yuki stood there watching him leave, confused. What did Hatori mean? Well, he didn't know but he did know that he wasn't going to forgive Akito for this. Not ever.
---
Watching from the round window in the room, Akito smirked. It seemed that he had done his job, he mused, watching the car slow to a stop, a tall figure stepping out of it. Within minutes, a knock was heard at his door and the person entered, bowing.
"It…it is done. Daisuke Niwa's memories have been erased."
Akito smiled slowly, a cruel smile that stretched from one side of his face to the other, yet didn't reach his eyes. "Excellent job Hatori. You have done well. You may go now." he waved his hand, dismissing the doctor.
Hatori bowed and prepared to leave, hesitating for a moment. Akito noticed, and he narrowed his eyes.
"What's wrong? Is there something else you want to tell me?"
Hatori shook his head. "No, Akito-sama. Nothing else." He left the room.
Akito didn't think much of his strange behaviour. He looked back outside the window, smirking to himself.
"Maybe this shall warn them not to ever meddle with us again." He whispered, his cold voice disappearing into the air. "But…" He grinned humourlessly, almost crazily.
"Tohru Honda may be next."
Akito laughed darkly to himself, imagining the startled and frightened looks on everyone's faces the day he mentioned it. Not yet though, oh no. He was going to let her stay for a little longer, make them think that she would be excepted from the fate of all intruders, think that they were actually safe…the pain would only be greater the longer she stayed, and so would their fear of him. He will never let them stray away from him again.
The laughing gradually eased and he stared out malevolently at the dull sky. His dark eyes narrowed, catching sight of something outside.
Wings.
---
Ack…sorry for taking so long. The holidays are over, and it's back to school for me…I hope I didn't make this chapter seem overdramatic, or too rushed (again). Uh, please wait for the next chapter as it seems that I'm getting less and less free time these days (coughhomeworkcough) and also cause I'm working on chapters for other stories. Please update soon!
Hmmm…it seems the chapters are getting shorter.